270 POPULAR HISTORY OF THE AQUARIUM. 



Carnivorous Ferocity of the NiidihrancJiiata. 



Mr. Gosse relates that having placed a large specimen 

 of Anthea cereiis in the Aquarium, with three individuals 

 oi Eolis papulosa, he found, on visiting the tank one day, 

 that one of the latter was busy eating the tentacles of the 

 former, to which it clung tenaciously in opposition to en- 

 deavours made to pull it away. On his next visit the two 

 other EoUda had joined in the carnage. All three exhi- 

 bited signs of great fierceness, adhering to parts between 

 the anthers by the point of the foot, and stretching forwards 

 to the point of attack, erecting and reversing their branchiae. 

 When removed to a considerable distance they returned to 

 the charge, from any part of the vessel, as long as they re- 

 mained in it. 



Purpura lapillus. 



This has a thick oval shell, and belongs to the Order 

 Gasteropoda: foot and body being one. When the shell 

 is banded with rich brown or yellow, it looks very pretty 

 in an Aquarium. But the animal is very voracious. Its 

 proboscis is a formidable weapon, capable of penetra- 

 ting through shells of small Periwinkles, Limpets, and 



